this is America
don’t catch you slipping, NO
this is America
where aks do the talking
where Krazy Krooked Kut from a different Kloth Klowns be trained to open fire on my family
be coaxed in bed sheets of white to signify purity in front of the jury, yo honor not noticing the beady black eyes underneath the Halloween costume, rolling to forget tainted irises of Massa’s history

only voices they hear are ghosts of training day pasts

our black be maunderer to they crew
so tainted with lies they blood be blue
and be paid with leave, cause you know they gotta get that green, our Tv is a history screen of repetitiveness
over and over momma’s tears drown news reporters, see the way they barely be in the waters of the deep end black neighborhoods
they holler for floaties to tame hashtags
our tragedy be blown up on social
but never be talked about from government mouths, you would think thoughts and prayers are tattooed on they lips because that’s all they seem to say, no wonder a boy could so easily play god, play grim reaper on
a sanctuary
awakening eulogies sleeping in the back of their minds, never thought to reach paper
you see, black folks be forgiving,
the way they welcome enemies with open arms, but still be treated as target practice
we be magicians, burying corpses of ancestors underneath our fingernails, and you ask why they look so filthy
holding back tears and throwing them in the wishing wells to bring back cousins, brothers, sisters

cause you know black lives be reduced to pennies

does night time scare you? my folks couldn’t ride round in the night or it wouldn’t be a pretty sight for anyone
does this darkness send shivers down your spine ? imagine sirens being your new theme song, givin you goosebumps
you would never know the rush of dancing tango with a bullet, speeding up the 8 count to 1 and then you’re done.
be we gon be alright, like Kendrick .. you can’t pimp a butterfly until her wings sprout into red, white, and blue
cause that’s all that matters and America is before you
so wipe your tears, and pray to your forgiving God is what they tell you, instead of seeing you for the beautiful, black, bodacious character that you are, they only star of the sitcom is you, so wild out on them one time for the one time and show them you’re truly divine because you are smart, you are kind, and you sure as hell is important

so let me tell you, yo honor, you gone feel the holiness of this black life